1) Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a device for removing viscera from slaughtered poultry via an opening in the abdomen thereof, comprising a removal member that can be moved via the opening between the stomach wall and the viscera into the abdominal cavity and then towards the back and then out of the abdominal cavity of the poultry, as well as retaining means for retaining the viscera, such as the gullet, with respect to the removal member.
2) Description of the Related Art
A device of this type is disclosed in NL-A 9100153. In this known device the removal member consists of two brackets that can be moved towards one another and away from one another. In the position in which they are moved towards one another the brackets are able to move the viscera in the clamped state from the carcass towards the outside. In this context it is important that the viscera are completely removed, that is to say including the crop with gullet. Since these organs are fairly firmly attached to the surrounding tissue, it must be possible to exert a relatively high pulling force during this operation. If these organs are not grasped properly, or are not grasped low enough, only a portion is removed because tearing in the organs occurs.
A further disadvantage of the known device is that this is relatively vulnerable as a consequence of the turning movements that the brackets have to be able to make with respect to one another. In order to achieve these turning movements fairly complex technical measures have to be taken which merely further increase the vulnerability.